Method controlling a water supply and the swivel faucet

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling a water supply by means of vertical movements of a drain pipe, wherein a swivel faucet has a freely movable discharge pipe and further relates to the control of drainage and stoppage thereof by vertical movements of an open end of the drainpipe along a holding section provided at the upper part of the faucet body.

United, States Patent 1 3,610,280

[72] Inventor Yoshiaki Kitamura [56] Referen e Cited Japan UNITED STATESPATENTS Eff; 222 1969 656,759 8/1900 Wirt 137 6165 Patented OCL'S,3,048,194 8/1962 l-luthsmg 251/39 X [73] Assignee Kitamura GokinIndustry Co., Ltd. FOREIGN PATENTS Yamagata-gun, Gifu Perfecture, Japan1,261,701 4/1961 France 251/39 Primary Examiner-Alan Cohan 54 METHODCONTROLLING A WATER SUPPLY AND A'wmekwendemh Pmmk THE SWIVEL FAUCET 2Claims 4 Drawmg Figs ABSTRACT: This invention relates to an apparatusand [52] U.S.Cl 137/6165, method for controlling a water supply by meansof vertical 137/6142, 251/39 movements of a drain pipe, wherein a swivelfaucet has a free- [51] Int. Cl 1103c 1/04, ly movable discharge pipeand further relates to the control of F16r 31/383 drainage and stoppagethereof by vertical movements of an [50] Field of Search 137/6165, openend of the drainpipe along a holding section provided at 616; 251/39,353 the upper part of the faucet body.

33 36 35 41k I v p a? 41 M33 34 '3 D 4 'I #45 PATENTED OCT 5 IHTI SHEET1 0F 2 YOSHIAKI KITAMURA, Inventor YJJMMXQLJM Attorneys METHODCONTROLLING A WATER SUPPLY AND THE SWIVEL FAUCET Formerly various typesof the water faucets existed in general. Specifically that the type offaucet provided with a somewhat long drainpipe which could be rotatedinto vertical and horizontal directions, and performs the opening andthe closing of the faucet has been developed. This faucet functions wellunder normal water pressures, but had such drawbacks as its uncertainityin operation where the water pressure goes down below 2 atmosphericpressures in high buildings and hilly areas and exceedsatmosphericpressures in low lands and, especially its operation becomesuncertain in case of a low pressure. Also, water-hammering was broughtup in case of enlarging the opening of the open and shut valve.

It is an object of the present invention to offer a swivel faucet whichcould be employed over wide ranges of water pressures with greatstability, and which dissolves the drawbacks formerly existing.

A further object is to provide a swivel faucet which can discharge waterby means of a light pressure applied to the tip end of a drain pipewhether such drainpipe rotates either to the left or to the right.

A still further object is to provide a swivel faucet which can dischargewater from a drainpipe by opening a main water passage with displacementof a piston housed inside the water faucet body due to water pressure.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, improvements,combinations and arrangements comprising the invention, a preferredembodiment of which is shown by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, and herein described in detail. Various modifications andchanges in details of construction are comprehended within the scope ofthe attached claims.

The invention may be defined in general terms as comprising a swivelfaucet body to which a freely movable drainpipe is connected. Apress-down piece is provided at the upper part of the faucet body andengages with an actuating rod provided inside of the faucet body. Apiston is automatically actuated by the upward and downward displacementof the said actuating rod due to the upward and downward movement of thesaid drainpipe, and a main water passage hole, closed by the packing towhich the said piston is connected, is opened for discharging thepressured water from the drainpipe of the faucet body. Referring to thedrawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the swivel faucet of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing the movablesection in detail.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the relation between the pressdown pieceand the cam piece on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the relation between the cylinder providedin the faucet body and the movable section on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the figures, the faucet body 1 is connected to theconnection part 2, which is in turn, connected to the water supply pipe,and provided with the partition 4 which has a main water passage hole 3of a large diameter drilled at its lower section in the middle of theinterior of the faucet body. The said partition 4 is spirally attachedto the faucet body I with the packing 6 therebetween by means of outerthreads 5, and has inner threads 8 spirally fitted with the threads 11of cylinder 10. The breaks 9 are cut out to provide passage of water asshown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4. The cylinder 10 formed into the shape of acup is installed upside down and a small hole 13 is drilled through itsupper end 12. On the inside wall of the cylinder 10 a dish-shapedpacking 14 made of rubber is inserted to be freely movable. A movablesection is composed of the packing 14, a piston 15 which supports theformer, a seat 16, a main water passage hole packing 17, a washer 18, acylindrical cap 19 and a hollow center tube 20. The flange 21 andthreads 22 are provided at the upper part and the lower part of the saidhollow center tube 20, respectively. Threads 24 of cap 19 are spirallyfitted with the threads 22 of the hollow center tube so to tighten theforegoing piston components against the flange 21. Pressurized waterinside the connection part 2 is introduced into cap 19 through a smallwater passage hole 26 which is drilled into the cylindrical body 25 ofthe cap 19. A spring 27 is installed between the partition 4 and thepiston 15 to urge the movable section upwardly and to maintain the mainwater passage hole packing l7 closed against the main water passage hole3.

An actuating rod 28 of a small diameter is inserted through a hollowsection 23 within tube 20 and has its upper end inserted through hole 13and positioned immediately under the press-down piece 33. An actuatingrod packing 30 is positioned around rod 28 adjacent the lower end 29 ofthe tube 20. A spring 32 is positioned between packing 30 and the bottompart 31 of the cap 19. The press-down piece 33 is provided with asaw-toothed edge on its periphery and is adapted to press down theactuating rod 28 by being positioned directly opposite to the upper end12 of the cylinder 10 as shown on FIG. 2, and is urged away from end 12by a spring 34. A holding rod 35 protrudes upwardly from the center ofthe top surface of the press-down piece 33. A holding section 36 theinside surface of which is a spherical surface is inserted into theupper part of the faucet body 1. A hollow spherical body 38 formed atthe bottom part of the drainpipe 37 is inserted freely movable into theinside of the said holding section 36. The cam pieces 39 and 39 are soinstalled in the hollow spherical body 38 that the inside of thedrainpipe 37 may not be closed and the holding rod 35 protruded from thepress-down piece 33 mentioned above is held between both cam pieces 39and 39. With the upward and downward rotational movement of thedrainpipe 37 the press-down piece 33 is made to press down against thepressure of the spring 34 by the way of the inclined end surfaces ofboth cam pieces 39 and 39. 40 in the figure shows the nut which tightensthe holding section 36 to the faucet body 1 and 41 shows ananticounterflow valve device installed on the connecting section 2 ofthe faucet body 1.

Since this invention possesses its structure as described above, themain water passage hole 3 is held closed because the water pressureadded into the faucet body I from the connection section 2 acts to pushup the packing I7 when the drainpipe 37 is kept at an upward position asshown on FIG. I and 2. The upper part of the faucet body 1 above thepartition 4 being below atmospheric pressure, the press-down piece 33,being pushed upward by the spring 34, is separated from the actuatingrod 28 which protrudes upwardly through the small hole 13 of thecylinder 10. When the tip end of the drainpipe 37 is pressed down underthis condition, the spherical body 38 below its base section rotatestoward the right as shown in the figure and the press-down piece 33 ispressed down due to the lowering of the inclined end surfaces of the campieces 39 and 39. By the way of the displacement of the press-down piece33 the actuating rod 28 is pressed down into the cylinder 10 under thesurface of the said piece and causes the packing 30 installed at thelower part of the actuating rod 28 to descend, thus unblocking hole 26.The pressurized water flowing into the faucet body 1 runs into thecylinder 10 from the small water passage hole 26 through the hollowsection 23. The pressure acting on the wide surface of the packing l4gradually, the piston 15 is pushed down against the force of spring 27thereby opening the main water passage hole 3. Due to this, thepressurized water rises up along the periphery of the cylinder 10 fromthe main water passage hole 3 through the cutouts 9, 9...as shown onFIG. 4, then, it flows out from the tip end of the drainpipe 37 afterentering into the said pipe from the inside of the spherical body 38. Tostop the water supply the tip end of the drainpipe 37 is returned to itsinclineup position by holding up its tip end. The packing 30 thus closesthe small water passage hole 26 and stops the water supply into thehollow center tube 20 by eliminating the pushing pressure due to the campieces 39 and 39 and by restoring the actuating rod 28 to its originalposition due to the force of the spring 32. Consequently, since thewater pressure inside the cylinder 10 passes to the outside of thecylinder 10 through the small hole 13 provided in the upper section 12,the same pressure exists inside and outside of the cylinder due to theabrupt decrease in the water pressure. As a result, the piston is pushedup by the restoring force of the spring 27 and the discharging of waterfrom the drainpipe 37 is stopped with the closing of the main waterpassage hole 3 by the packing l7 incorporated with the said piston.

The invention comprises the foregoing construction and operation,therefore, when the drainpipe 37 is rotated into any horizontaldirection desired within the holding section 36 of the faucet body 1,the pressure of the water within the cylinder 10 would be directly actedon and the supplying of water could be commenced immediately byincreasing the water pressure and opening the main water passage hole 3.

Incidentally, the main water passage hole packing 17, even while insupplying water, tends to close the main water passage hole 3 byreceiving the pressure of the leakage water supplied from the connectionsection 2 and the pressure of the spring 27. However, the water, whichflows into the hollow center tube 20, always leaks at a definite ratefrom the small hole 13 of the section 12 and the piston 15 stays at thedefinite position by suppressing the foregoing tendency in order tomaintain the water pressure within the cylinder 10 at that of the watersupply. Accordingly, the opening of the main water passage hole packingl7 incorporated with the said piston 15 is maintained and the definitequantity of water will always be discharged.

Thus, according to this invention, the water supply control is performedby changes in the water pressure within the cylinder 10 due to upwardand downward movements of the drainpipe 37 and, furthermore, the leakagefrom the small hole 13 of the cylinder section 12 is performed graduallywhile supplying water. Consequently, the movement of the main waterpassage hole packing 17 is done slowly whereby water hammering isprevented. Moreover, even when employed at a lower water pressure, thecontrol may be operated certainly and without deterioration of parts.Many of the previously known faucets had the main water passage holepacking tightened with force by threads which required many turns, sothat the packing deteriorated quickly and replacement in a short perioddue to water leakage and short life. However, according to thisinvention, the operation is excellent because the main water passagehole 3 is closed by the packing 17 which receives the pushing force ofthe water pressure and the spring 27 within the cylinder 10 and, also,because the main water passage hole 3 is opened by the change of thewater pressure within the cylinder 10 due to the upward and downwardrotational movements of the drainpipe 37. Furthermore, the packing 17moves upward and downward only within the cylinder 10 and is durable fora long period without deterioration. And, furthermore, it could performa reliable operation without any water leakage even at either a lowpressure or a high pressure.

What is claimed is:

l. A swivel faucet comprising a faucet body adapted to be attached to awater supply; a partition positioned within said faucet body and havinga main water passage hole therein and cutouts around the outer wallthereof; a cylinder attached to said partition and having an uppersection with a central hole therethrough; a movable section movablymounted within said cylinder and said partition, said movable sectionincluding a dish-shaped packing positioned within said cylinder, apiston supporting said dish-shaped packing, a main water passage holepacking adjacent said piston and engaging said main water passage hole,a hollow tube having an upper flange, and a cylindrical cap threadedonto said hollow tube to hold said dish-shaped packing, said piston andsaid main water passage hole packing between said flange and said cap,said cylindrical cap having a small water passage hole therethrough; anactuating rod positioned within said hollow tube and having the upperend thereof extending through said central hole; an actuating rodpacking fitted around said actuating rod and adajpted to block saidsmall water passa e hole; means to urge sat actuating rod out of saidcentral ho e; means to urge said main water passage hole; a press-downpiece positioned within said faucet body and directly above said upperend of said actuating rod; means to urge said press-down piece away fromsaid actuating rod; a drainpipe having cammed surfaces on the lower edgethereof and contacting said press-down piece; and means for positioningsaid drainpipe such that as it is rotated downwardly, said press-downpiece pushes down said actuating rod, thereby unblocking said smallwater passage hole, thereby allowing water to push down said movablesection and open said main water passage hole, whereby said water flowstherethrough, through said cutouts and out said drainpipe.

2. A swivel faucet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means forpositioning includes a holding section positioned within said faucetbody and having an inside spherical surface; a hollow spherical bodyformed at said lower end of said drainpipe and freely movable withinsaid holding section; and a holding rod protruding upwardly from saidpress-down piece and positioned between said cammed surfaces.

1. A swivel faucet comprising a faucet body adapted to be attached to awater supply; a partition positioned within said faucet body and havinga main water passage hole therein and cutouts around the outer wallthereof; a cylinder attached to said partition and having an uppersection with a central hole therethrough; a movable section movablymounted within said cylinder and said partition, said movable sectionincluding a dish-shaped packing positioned within said cylinder, apiston supporting said dish-shaped packing, a main water passage holepacking adjacent said piston and engaging said main water passage hole,a hollow tube having an upper flange, and a cylindrical cap threadedonto said hollow tube to hold said dish-shaped packing, said piston andsaid main water passage hole packing between said flange and said cap,said cylindrical cap having a small water passage hole therethrough; anactuating rod positioned within said hollow tube and having the upperend thereof extending through said central hole; an actuating rodpacking fitted around said actuating rod and adapted to block said smallwater passage hole; means to urge said actuating rod out of said centralhole; means to urge said main water passage hole; a press-down piecepositioned within said faucet body and directly above said upper end ofsaid actuating rod; means to urge said press-down piece away from saidactuating rod; a drainpipe having cammed surfaces on the lower edgethereof and contacting said press-down piece; and means for positioningsaid drainpipe such that as it is rotated downwardly, said press-downpiece pushes down said actuating rod, thereby unblocking said smallwater passage hole, thereby allowing water to push down said movablesection and open said main water passage hole, whereby said water flowstherethrough, through said cutouts and out said drainpipe.
 2. A swivelfaucet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for positioningincludes a holding section positioned within said faucet body and havingan inside spherical surface; a hollow spherical body formed at saidlower end of said drainpipe and freely movable within said holdingsection; and a holding rod protruding upwardly from said press-downpiece and positioned between said cammed surfaces.